Shimano Eyewear goes for Victory with Lotto-Jumbo

We recently caught up with Team Lotto-Jumbo’s High Performance Manager Mathieu Heijboer to see how his guys are getting on with their newest Shimano “rider-tuned vision” eyewear. We were also curious to hear how it’s going for them after six months into their 3-year relationship with Shimano.

Together with Lotto-Jumbo, we have been working hard the last months on developing the perfect eyewear for discerning cyclists with the highest standards. After racing with our product throughout the spring season at demanding events like the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and Milan-San Remo, the Lotto-Jumbo guys had lots to say. Immediately we implemented their feedback to deliver a new line of optics.

Now that they’ve had time to test the new eyewear, Mathieu tells all. “The guys at Shimano are clearly doing something with our feedback because the material they give us is incredibly high quality,” explains Mathieu. Adding, “We are really in a good direction with the Equinox 2 line (EQX2) [part of the R-series eyewear]. The riders feel very comfortable with them. They are happy with the bigger lenses and the different options they have regarding lens colors. They can adjust the nose clip to fit perfectly on their faces, while slightly bending the arms to conform to their individual head shapes.” The riders also make full use of the eyewear’s other features like its polarized and photochromic lenses with anti-fog, anti-scratch and hydrophobic treatments to protect their eyes in all conditions.

The team added the Shimano eyewear to their equipment line-up this year, along with our shoes, as confirmation that they have full confidence in us. This decision turned out to be well received by the riders. “To be honest, almost every rider is comfortable with the Shimano shoes. There is a shoe that works for almost every rider,” exclaims Mathieu.

While he was pleased with how it turned out, he wasn’t at all surprised. “We’ve always ridden with Shimano as far back as the mid-nineties when we were known as Team Rabobank. I know the quality of Shimano products in general, so that’s what we’ve come to expect from everything they make. I was also confident because of the really strong relationship we have.”

This relationship is what makes magic happen, so it’s something we work hard on cultivating. “There’s always a guy from Shimano at the pro races,” says Mathieu. “They come very often to our service course to talk with our mechanics. They also talk with me on the phone to discuss all the products they give us – how its working, and how they can improve them. I’m really glad we can continue working together, because I truly think they are the best in the market.”

And when this magical partnership scores a victory, Lotto-Jumbo celebrates it the same way every time…with champagne for a bit of a festive atmosphere.”